In the event that all bridges and tunnels out of Manhattan are closed and you just have to get off the island, an inflatable raft is your best option if you don't own a boat. The best inflatable raft I've read about is from a company in Alaska called Alpacka Raft. Alpacka rafts are expensive -- the cheapest one is almost $800 without a paddle -- but they are extremely durable and compact. When packed the raft takes up only 9"x24" of space and can easily fit in a closet. I read about this raft in the November issue of Outside magazine. The article, Mission Improbable, was about two men who used them while traversing the wilds of western Canada. As for me, several months ago I purchased a two-man Coleman Colossus Inflatable Boat from Cabelas because it was cheap, less than $50, and I was planning to paddle to New Jersey with it as an experiment for this blog. I never made the attempt but if I was serious about it now I would try it with the Alpacka. I'm not going to buy one because my wife would kill me for wasting money and deep down I don't think I'm ever going to row off Manhattan. But the thought does reside in the back of my mind that it might one day be necessary.
5 years ago
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4 comments:
That boat looks pretty small. Where are you going to put all of your gear?
A test crossing sounds like a great idea! It won't be too risky if you have an escort boat for backup (and to take pictures).
Please please please do a test crossing! We really need to know what to expect! video it and post it
The raft seems to be very small. Should be able to carry just one small person.
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